Line-stretching apparatus



Nov. 13, 1928.

D. LOCKWOOD ET AL LINE} STRETCHING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 31, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 13, 1928. D. LOCKWOOD ET AL LINE STRETCHING APPARATU S s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 31, 1926 lM//YT E 5 P020774 7 L 0 urn 000 JLFKED Ja mas SEQ/e 4 5 Nov. 13, 1928. D. LOCKWOOD ET AL LINE STRETCHING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 51, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LM //YVE/VTO 6 DQEOTH Y L 0 CK W000 flLneso JAME s SEA/@LE Patented Nov. 13, 192 8.

UNITED TAT-E 1,691,397 PATIENT Donors? LocKwoon, or Matron iPA'ljk, Are Atrniinthins stress, or major,

ENGLAND.

trim-summits reunites.

Application filed December e1, 1926, Serial No.

This invention which relates to means for stretching and pulling lines, ropes, wires or the like and retaining same in a taut or pulled Condition and isapplicable for clothes lines, tennis nets, aeri-als, wire fences, clamps, lifting devices and other similar purposes or uses, relates to apparatus of the known kind comprising a bifurcated or forked handle whose legs are furnished with eXteriorly projecting pins or studs, and a bracket or lug with spaced-apart cheeks adapted to receive said pins or studs and to accommodate the handle between them, the handle thus being pivotally held by the bracket or lug to swing in a vertical plane, the construction being such that in swinging down the handle, to which latter the line or the like is suitably connected, in order to stretch or pull the line, the point of connection of the latter with the lever passes over a vertical line through the lever pivot, that is to say, passes over a dead-centre position. In such apparatus a pulley has been provided above the handle member, over which the line passes, said pulley being mounted on the same vertical structure as that to which the handle-carrying lug 'or bracket is attached. The invention particularly refers to ap aratus of the foregoing kind wherein thehandle legs are of a springy nature, so that by pressing same towards one another the pins or studs thereonwill pass out of the bracket or lug-cheeks, permitting detachment of the handle.

Hitherto, in apparatus of the foregoing kind, the line or the like has been directly attached to the lever, so that in swinging the latter down in order to stretch or pull the line, said line itself passed over the lever ivot. lVith such an arrangement, if the ever is not mounted to swing exactly in the plane of the line, said line will be aptfto chafe on the handle and wear.

The present invention, which embodies the known features above set forth, is characterized in that there is pivotally connected to the forked lever, between the legs thereof, a link member towhi'ch there is connected the line or the like, the construction being such that the distance between the point of connection of the link with the lever and the point of connection of the line with the link is greater than the dista'nce between the point of connection of the link with the lever and the lever pivot, so that when the 158,358, and in Great Britain was 27, 1926;

lever is swung down to its locking "position, thelink, but not the line itself, passes across the lever pivot.

. In order that the said invention may he the more readily understood, drawings are appended illustrating various constructions of apparatus in accordance therewith, and

. wherein 2 Figural is a r l View illustrating the various parts "em 5.06611 g t6 one construction with the line inits slacken'd position; and,

.Figure 2 is a similar view sho the linein its tightened position.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the lever, the bracket carrying same and the intermediate link member, shown in Figure '1.

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 2 of a modified construction of apparatus.

F lgure 5 is a detail side view hereinafter described, illustrating a modified method of connecting the link to the lever.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of lever-carrying bracket constructed to provide for ,adjustability of the lever pivot. I Y

Reter'ring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the apparatus illustrated therein comprises a wooden or metal lever 1 formed to a handle shape at its outer end 2. Said lever is bifurcated to form two legs, and is pivotally mounted within the spaced-apart cheeks 3 of a bracket or lu member 4. Two pivot pins 5 are furnished, each extending through one leg of the handle and one check of the lug or bracket 4. Neither of said pivots extend across the spacebetween the two legs of the lever, Between the legs of v the lever 1 there is pivotally mounted a link member 6, serving as an intermediate member between the line 7 and the lever, and the connection of such link member to the lever is such as to allow ofeirp'editious adjustment to alternative points of fixture. In the 'cons'truction'shown, "a plurality of alternative holes 8 are formed through the lever at different radii from the lever pivotand the link 6 is connected to the lever 1 by means of a, detachable pin 9 adapted to engage in any suitable one of said holes. The link at its outer end carries a pulley 10 mounted between spaced-apart cheeks 11. The line 7 passes from a point of fixture, that is to sa a hook, loop or the like 12, around the pulley 10, then up to around another pulley 13 mounted above the lever unit above described, between the cheeks of a bracket 14. v I

The aforesaid parts are mounted to one and'the same wall surface and the lever unit and the upper pulley 13 may be separate to one another for attachment directly to a wall surface, as shown in Figures 1' and Alternatively, the said two units may form parts of a self-contained member for attachment to a wall; for instance, they may 16 and a cleat member 17 immediately below said hook member 16, and the line isiadapted to pass over the hook and be wound around the cleat when properly adjusted. The hook and cleat 16 and 17 may be constructed for direct attachment to a wall, as shown in Figures 1' and 2, in which case they are furnished with flat'base parts, or may form part ofa self-contained unit which includes a metal rod 18 on which they are both mounted, as shownin Figure l.

In the construction of apparatus shown in Figure 4, the rods and 18 are attached to awall or the like by means of screw eyes 19.3 V r j j 1 When the line 7 is in its sla-ekenedor released position, the lever is in a raised oosition as shown in Fi ure 1 but when the lever is pressed down to the position shown in Figure. 2, it pulls and tightens the line which is then held taut with the handle in the downposition. The construction and mounting of the lever is such that when the lever is pressed down, its point ofvconnection with the link member 6 passes over the dead-centre; that is to say the said link member swings over to the opposite side of the leverpivot and the lever becomes locked in the position shown in; Figure 2, due to the tensioned pull on the line.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, a pin 21 fixedly carried by the link members 6 and projecting on each side thereof is adapted to engage inany one of a plurality of coincident T-shaped slots 22 formed in the bottom edges of the legs of the bifurcated lever 1.

In another modificatiomthe line could be directly attached to the upperend of the link member 6 instead of passing around a pulley carried thereby. 1

Further, other mod fications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinbefore set forth.

It is to be understood that the hook and cleat members above described neednot neclug cheeks 8, and thus the lever may be detached. A further advantage obtaining from the use of a bifurcated lever is that a central pull is obtained on the line, wire or the like, owing to the fixture point of said'line or wire (eitherdirectly or indirectly) being between the lever legs as hereinbefore described,

Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings illustrate a v modified form of lever-carrying bracket which we 'may employ, and said bracket, which is constructed toIprovide foradj ustability as to position of the lever pivot so that primary adjustment asito the tension of the line or wire in its taut position may be made, comprises a flat base pal-i323 and spaced-apart parallel side cheeks 24 in each of which side walls a plurality of notches or recesses 25 are formed, preferably of partcircular shape to correspond with the shape and diameter-of the pins .or studs 5 on legs of the handle 1. The said notches or recesses 25 are disposed one above-another, all in the same vertical line, and communicate with one another by means of curved or arcuate slots 26, there being one such slotbetween each two adjacent notches or recesses, the separate slots together forming, in effect, one long continuous slot.- The notches or-recesses 25 are disposed towards the front edges of the bracket cheeks 24 and the curvedslots 26 each lead ina rearward direction away from said notcl1es'25. The curved rear edges 27 of the slots 26efiiectively guide the pins or studs 5 of the lever1 int-o adjacent upper or lower notches 25 according to in which fdi rection the lever is pressed but owin'g'to downward opening'of the said notches 25,- the tension of the wire or rope and the pres;

sure of the springy legs of. the lever against the bracket cheeks 2% willretain the pins or studs in engagement with a particular notch until adjustment to another notch or reces is effected. 1 v I The apparatus according to the invention having the slotted bracket givingprimary adjustment of the lever besides being, appli cable generally is particularly suitable for tightening the nets on lawn tennisgrounds, in which casethe said bracket is-aflixed to one of the netpos'tsand the net-suppojrting rope is connected to the link carried by the lever; 1 .7

VVe-claim:' e

1. Aline stretching apparatus comprising a U-shape bearing bracket adapted 'to'fbe "IOU fixed to a support, a split operating lever 1.30

mounted at the free end of said work engaging arm.

3. A line stretching apparatus comprising 15 a U-shape bearing bracket adapted to be fixed to a support, a split operating lever adjustably pivoted between the sides of said bracket, a work engaging arm adjustably pivoted in said split operating lever between its pivot and free end, and a Work engagin pulley mounted at the free end of said worfr engaging arm.

In testimony whereofwe have aflixed our signatures hereto this 6th day of December,

DOROTHY LOCKWOOD. ALFRED JAMES SEARLE. 

